Press for drawing blanks



Feb. 6, 1945.

F. H. MALONEY PRESS FOR DRAWING BLANKS Filed March 10, 1942' 6Sheets-Sheet l BY- @WQ AT TORNEYS Feb. 6, 1945. 1 F. H. MALONEY2,369,054

I PYRESS FOP. DRAWING BLANKS Filed March 10, 1942 e Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

Fran/r H. Ma/oney A'T TOR NE Y5 Feb. 6, 1945. F. H. MALONEY 2,369,064

PRESS FOR 'DRAWING BLANKS Fild March 10, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.Frank H Ma/one y AT TORNEYS Feb. 6, 1945. F. H. MALONEY I 2,369,064

PRESS FOR DRAWING BLANKS Filed March 10, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 BY MQZ44Z AT TORNE Y5 Feb. 6,' 1945. F. H. MALONEY PRESS FOR DRAWING BLANKSFiled March 10, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Fran/r hf Ma/one y MQ NRATTORNEYS Feb. 6, 1945. MALQNEY PRESS FOR DRAWING BLANKS Filed March 10,1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. Fran/r H Mala/76y BY M9 M ATTQRNE Y5Patented Feb. 6, 1945 PRESS FOR DRAWING BLANKS Frank H. Maloney,Elmhurst, Long Island, N. Y., assignor. to Brass Goods Manufacturing00.,

Brooklyn, N. Y., a'corporation of New York Application March 10, 1942,Serial No. 434,040 7 15 Claims. (Cl.113-..-113) This invention relatesto a drawing press for drawing thin metal blanks; which have beenpreviously blankedout from thin sheet metal,

into cups which are intended later to be further drawn into the shape ofbullet packets. In the past there has been difficulty in feeding suchthin metal blanks from a magazine in which the blanks are stored instack form to adrawing die.

Theblanks usually do not come from the blankin'g press perfectly flat,but the major portion of them are somewhat curved so that 'they arepresented to the feeding mechanism at the mouth of the'stack indifferent planes, the' peripheral edge of a blank which is presentedwith its convex surface downwardly being somewhat higher than theperipheral edge of a perfectly flat blank.

This presentation of the blanks at the mouth. of the stack in differentplanes du'eto their curvature causes an irregular feedingof the blanks,and often causes the feeding mechanism at'the mouth of the stack tobecome jammed so that feeding of the blanks is interrupted.

vIt is a principal object of the present invention to overcome thisdifilculty by removing the lowermost blank from the stack and separatingit from theremaining blanks therein by transporting it individuallysidewise into a guide member 'which is in alignment with the drawingdie, and then transporting the blank individually alon'g'such guidemember'to the die, the guide member, be-

ing designed to constrain the blank during its" motion and deliver it,in proper position to the die.

It is an important feature of the invention that all theblanksirrespective of whether they are flat or slightly curved, arepresented at such guide member with their peripheral edges at the samelevel or in the same plane, so that they may be pushed along a hollowguidew'ay provided in such guide member by means of athin' push fingerwhich is reciprocated there-in andse'rves to deliverthem individually tothe drawing die. This object is secured by removing the blanksindividually from the bottom of the stack by means of a reciprocableslide member which is provided with a recess into which thebottomportio'ns of such blanks may extend which happen to be nonplanar;'andare presented at the bottom of the stack with their convex surfacesdown. This recess is so designed that blanks presented at the bottom ofthe stack, which are flat or are dis- Where a multiple unit press isutilized having,

for exa'mple, three forming dies provided with ing' structure; 4 5

'bers. This single slide member is provided with three differentrecesses'of the type heretofore described for receiving the blanks andadvancing them into the aforementioned guide members. Other objects ofthe invention-will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds.

For a better understanding of the invention reference is made to thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which: I I

Fig. l is a fragmentary side viewof a multiple unit drawing pressembodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front view of the 'drawing press shownin Fig; 1;I

' Fig. 3 is a s'ectionalviewof the press of Fig. 1 taken on the sectionline 3-3 thereof in the direction of the ar'rows;

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary sectional front views on an enlarged scaleshowing a portion of the feed means for withdrawing the blanks from v amagazine and advancing them'toward the drawing die;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view showing a'reciprocable slidemember of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is avertical sectional view showing on Fig. 11 is a fragmentaryvertical sectional view showingoneof the punches and drawing diesof thepress of Fig. 1 and. a portion of the means for feeding the blanks;

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of one of the drawing dieunits'partiallyseparated from its cooperat- Fig. 13 is a "fragmentary verticalsectional view 6 taken on the line l3-l3 of Fig. 1 showing theconstruction of the guideway for guiding the blanks asythey areadvanced. rearwardly toward the drawing die;

Fig. 14'is a top plan view showing one of the drawing dies" and itssupporting ring; and

Fig. 1518 a vertical sectional view showing the 1 construction of themouth of a magazine and a portion of the means for removing the blanksindividually therefrom. f

Referring first toFigs. 1,2 and 3, the drawj ing press showncomprises'three drawing press units III, II and I2 which are similar andare mounted on a. common. horizontal supporting plate 13 which is inturn supported onthe maln "inFig. '2, the;.'several arms'3il are spacedapart on the shaft 32, which issupportedlfor ,free

blanks;

frame F of the press. This frame is carried by the usual supporting baseB. Supported on the plate It] by means of spaced apart blocks all is anelongated horizontal plate [5 provided with a groove [6 in which isreciprocable a slide meme ber I l common to the three press units.

The slide H, see Figs. 4 and 6, has secured thereto adjacent each of themagazines l9 by l scr ews 4 1 -:a pusher plate i8Whi01'lBXt8HdS above Adeems-a scription of the press unit [0 will now be given, w

it being understood that the construction of the Tat he level of the topof slide TIL! andabutting against the right hand end of the plate 48 isa blank supv porting plate 49 which is secured to the slide I1 .byascrew 50. The plate is recessed, as shown 1 at 51in Figs: 4, 6 and 7,the wall of the recess units H and I2 is exactly. similar and corre-p .l

sponding parts of the different units are-accordv ingly designated bythe same-reference 'numer' als on the drawings.

The slide I! receives the blanks I which are I I to be formed intobullet'cups, from the mouth of a vertical magazine l9 and advances themindividually tothe'frjightin'Fig. 3 and deposits ,ther'n' fin' front ofafthin push rod 2i]. This rod transports tnem'rarWarmy and' deliversthem one by one under 'a, vertically reciprocable punch 21 which"presses th'emthroug'h a'drawing die 2 Z, Fig} ll, to 'be 'laterdescribed and which draws or 'form'sthem into cups of the desired shape.fTIhe' slide 11 'is reciprocated' by means or a 23 whose other end isconnected to an arm '24. which is secured to a shaft 25. 'This shaftisn-supported'in'twobearings 26 formed in a pair of brackets'Iftwhich"have portions extending-along "the top o'ffplate I 3 and are se thetop; as indicated at 53. reaches its extreme position to the left, thebottom blank of the stack'is deposited on the blank being:cylindricainearthe bottom as indicated =at 52:an'd inclined outwardlyand upwardly near As the slide 11 ing down for some distance alongthelperip'heral cured thereto by the screws '28. The shaft p is in turnoscillated byvme'ans of a second arm ZQ secured, thereto and a drivelink .30, the upper lend ofthe llink f3ll being driven, by means of apowerldriven cam or equivalent (not shown).

The means for reciprocating each push rod 211 comprises an arm :31secured to a shaft 32,- the arm 3i atlits upper-end being provided'withan elongated slot 32 (Fig 'lg). adapted to receive a pin .33 projectingfrom: a depending lug 34 secured lt'orcthe 'fron'trend of push rod. l Asshown c'illation 'in a pair of -bearing brackets 35 which are secured tothe front face .of theplate l3 by 3rd and 4thblan'ks haveftheirconvexsurfaces 4o the screws '36,.j'The shaft '32, is oscillated intimedrelation'w'ith theshaft' 25 by means ofan armlal secured t'oftheend thereof and a drive llin'kf38 wjh'ose lower end is pivotallyconnected with arm-'37 and whose fupper endis reciprocated by meanso'ffa p. .alentfinotJshowli), p 1

For a more detailed disclosure of the means whereby-the metal blanks [8which have previouslyhbeien' blanked out in ..a blanking press, areremoved individually from the mouth of the magazine l9 reference isjmadeto Figs, 4 to 7.

and 15. vThe m agazir 1e,ll l.is shown as comprising a thin walled tube39 whose lower end extends into a recess 40 provided inage'nerallyrectangular shaped plate .41 which J's-secured to 1 wer drivenearner equiv- 5 figures is somewhat exaggerated for clearness. Thediameter-of the blanks is slightly greater edge o'f'the second blank andthereby preventing tli'is blank from being advanced to the right alongwith the bottom blank of thestack.

It is found 'thatfthe' major portion of the blanks coming from certainblanking pressess arelno't perfectly flat but are som'ewha't curved.When such blaiiksare putinto a hopper and feed 'promiscuousljy to the.severalij magazines ID by anysu'i'table mean'sK'not shown); the'bla'nks arrive at the bottom of a magazine disposed in differentrelative orders as shown in Figs. 4, 8,

9 and 10. "InFigf lf the two"bottom blanks and I the 5th andffith areshown disposed with their convex 'face's disposed j downwardly while thedisposed upwardly. "In Fig. .8' the bottom f'blanks are both curved andhave their convex surfaces disposed upwardly while in Fig. 9 'both the'fb'lank's are curved, and the convex surface of the'bottom one isdisposed upwardly and that of the, other'blankidownwardly. In"Fig. 1j0the bottom f blank is curved with its convex surface-disposeddownwardly, and "the other blank is .curved with its convex surfacedisposed, up-

Wardly. .The curvature of the blanks in these enter the 'recess jiilbutgrests jongthe flat upper surface of 'the'plate 49. I, The result isthat the peripheral; edge 58' "of each blank is disposed at the same"level" as it is deposited on "the plate the supportingplate l5 by oneor, more screws 549 in position to here-moved. from the stack Z2v(Fig.,15'). Thefront of plate All is cut away: sloping first rearwardly.and downwardly to pro- 'vide the inclined face 43 and then downwardlytolprovide the vertical,face-44, 'a s shown in- Fig.

15. A companion-plate llijhas its .-rearsurface 'islhigh enough toclear/thebottom blank as it.

shaped tov fit against the faces. I33, and 44 and ip a s a e held-tother o encompass h lower end of the stack of'blankSl-by a pair of screws46. This construction permitsreadyaocess to the blanks 'atthe lower endofthestack 7 irrespective of whether" the blank is perfectly 1 flat. orhas its center portion curved upwardly or downwardly. It'wi'II also beobserved from these figures thatthe upper Wall of 'theslot 5.6

leaves thevstack and'yet is low enough to engagethe peripheral) edge ofthe next higher "blank in the stack and thusjact as ajstopto regroove55.The vertical side wall59 'of thfe groove prevents the blank l8 frombeing carried too: far to the right due to its inertia as the slider" isstopped and starts to move in the opposite direction. The plates 4| and45 are cut away on their under sides as shown in Figs. 3,4 and 13andrthehousing 54 is shaped to extend into suchcut-out as indicated at 60,thereby bringing the groove 55 into which the blank is advanced closerto the mouth of the magazine 9 and making the structure more compact.Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the front portion of the'push rod 28 issupported on two elongated guide plates 6| along which it is slidable,these plates being secured to the bottom face of housing54. I

When the blank is in position in groove 55 it is engaged by the frontend of push rod 20, see Fig. 11, which immediately advances itrearwardly and pushes it into a positioning ring 62 which causes theblank to be located andretained in proper position above the die 22. Die22 in the illustrated embodiment of the invention has the shape shown inFig.,11 and is adapted to draw the blank into the shape of the bulletcup 63 shown in dotted lines. It will be understood, however, that theinvention is not limited to a press for drawing blanks into thisparticular shape as it is equally well adapted for a press for drawingblanks into many other shapes, according to the shape of the drawing dieand blanks used.

The die 22 is seated in a recess formed in a die block 64, the uppersurface of which is recessed to receive the blank positioning ring 62,this ring being secured to the die block by two pins .65. The generallycylindrical shaped die block 64 is seated in a counterbored recess 66-(Fig. 12) provided in the upper face of a supporting plate 6'! which issecured in position on the main supporting plate I3 by a pair of screws68-59. The screw 69 passes into a threaded opening provided in aforwardly extendin'v portion 1| of plate 61, the extension 1| being ofgenerally rectangular shape as shown in Fig. 12 and extending forwardlyunder the plate l5, as shown in Fig. 11. The plate I5 is also arcuatelyshaped at 12 to abut against the front portion of die block 64. Plate isalso provided with a pair of aligned slots 13 adapted to slidablyreceive a pair of stripper slides 14 whose inner ends are shaped asshown in Fig. 11 and serve as stripper fingers to strip the cup 83 fromthe punch 2| after the latter has reached its lowest position andcommences'moving upwardly on'its return stroke. The slides 14 are biasedinwardly by means of the springs 16, each spring at its inner endbearing against a depending projection 11 formed on the slide. At itsouter end each spring is seated in a notch I8 formed in a block 19, eachsuch block being secured in position on the plate 67' by a pin 80 whichenters a bore 8| provided in this plate. The motion of each slide 14inwardly is limited by a downwardlmdepending lug .82 formed on the endof the slide and which strikes against the outer face of block 18. Thedie block 84 is clamped in position by means of a generally rectangularshaped clamping block 83 which is counterbored, as indicatedat 84, toreceive the major of the peripheral wall of the die block. The clampingblock 83 is secured to the plate 61 by means of a pair ofbolts 85 whoselower ends engage threaded holes 86 provided in plate 61 (only one being,shown in Fig. 11);. These bolts also pass through a pair'ofsemicylindrical notches 81 provided in the edge of the his b c s e igs.12 an la p n lock 83 isalso. bored to receive a-punch-guide bushing 88through which the punch 2| passes. As shown in; Figs. 3 and 11, the rearend of housing 54 engages the-front face of clamping .block 83 and a,slot'89 is formed in the latter, which slot is in alignment with theslot 55 inhousing 54, the two slots-55-89 forming a straight. guidewaywhich guides the blank all the time it, is being pushed rearwardly bythe push rod 20 until shortly after itreaches thedotted.positionindicated at 90,, Fig; 11, and drops into the positioningring 3 After'a cup-63 is formed,.it passesdownthrough a short-tube 9|set-in an opening. 92 formed plate 4 61,. through a second and largeropening 93 formedfinplate l3 and out through a large opening 94 of theshape shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, in the main frame F.

- From an inspection of the structure described itwill be clear that aworn die may be readily removed 'forrepair or replacement by a new onebyloosening'the bolts and removing the clamping block 83 whereupon thedie block 64 may be readily'lifted out and taken to a bench where the.die 22 may be removed therefrom in an obvious manner.. After repair orreplacement of the die it is only necessary to place the'die block andclamping block 83 in position on the press and again lock the parts inoperating position by-tightening the bolts 85.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the three punches 2| are all secured to asingle operating head or rain 95 which operates in vertical guidew'ays'96 provided in the main frame F. The operating headis driven in theusual mannerby any suitable'power driven operating means (not shown). Inthe operation of the press the bottom blank is. removed-from each of themagazines I9 as the slide I1 is advanced toward the right by the drivingconnections heretofore described. The

motion of the blanks toward the right continues until theslide reachesits extreme end position when the three blanks are disposed in theguideways 55, one blank in each. At this time the push rods 20-are movedrearwardly bythe arms 3| and operating connections previously described,these rods pushing thethree blanks off the slide H and advancing themalong the guideways 55 and through the slots 89 in the clampingblocksfl83 (Fig. 11) until each blank falls into its positioning ring 62and is disposed in proper position above its drawing die 22.- Theoperating head 95 then descends causing the punches 2| toengage theblanks and force them simultaneously through the drawing dies 22 whichform the blanks into the shape of the desired cups. The strippingfingers 15 grip the upper edges of the cups as the punches commence torise and strip'the cups from the plungers which are returned to their.upper positions. The formed cups pass down through the openings 92, 93and 94 into a suitable receptacle or are conveyed away to anotherdrawing press by any suitable automatic conveying means (not shown). .Ihave described what I believe to be the best embodiments of myinvention. I do not wish however, to be confined to the embodimentsshown, but what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is set forth in theappended claims.

I claim: .1. In a drawing press, means for automatically feeding thinsubstantially flat metal blanks individually to the field of operationof a drawing die from-a stack of the blanks, comprising a feed memberreciprocable in a substantially straight path and: arranged to. engage;the bottom blank of the stack and move it. edgewise along-said. pathrtoan advanced; position: in alignment with thedi'e and a second teed.member reciprocable in a sub stantially straight path at: an angle tosaid first 7 mentioned path and arranged tov engage an: edge oi theblank: while in said; advanced position and advance it to the die. v

2.1m. a drawing press as claimed claim I in which. the.- pathsin. which.the said feed members are reciprocable are disposed at substantiallyright angles to eachother. I

3.. In. a drawing press,, means for automatically feeding thin;substantially flat metal; blanksim on. said firstfeed member, removethe: blank from said-first feed member and advance. the blankedgewiseto-thedie.

4;; In a drawing pressas. claimed: in claim 3' in which a housingisprovided, said housing. having' a slot in which the second feed memberis reciprocable andwhichalsoserves a guidewayforguiding the; blank as itis: advanced to thedie.

5. In a drawing press:,-. meansfor automatically feeding thin metalblanks individually to? the 4 held of operation of a drawing die fromastack blanks while said advancedposi'tions and adfvance the blanks tothe dies and means for re- ;ciprocatingsaid push rods simultaneously.

a. A. drawing press: as claimed in claim 8 in said single feed member isprovided with a. plurality of plates and each. plate provided with arecess adapted to receive the downwardly V bent portion of a blank;therecesses in said 'plates being disposed simultaneously under thebottom blanks of the stacks.

m. In a drawing press, means for automatisally feeding thinsubstantially flat metal blanks individually and successively from astack of blanks to the'field'otopera-tion of a drawing die comprising aguide member for said blanks deafining a guidechannel leading to thefield of operation of the die, a, feed member reciprocable inasubstantiaily straight path and arranged to receivethe bottom blank ofthe stack and move it edgewise along said path to said guide channel,and-a second feed member reciprocable in saidguide channel at an angletosaid first-mentioned path and adapted to engage an edge of the blank insaid channel and push said latter blank along the door o'f'said channelto the field of operation of the die.

ef-the blanksat least some of theblanksim: the

stack being curved. and disposedlwithi'their: con;- vex suriacesdownward: said: feeding meansjcomprising a feed memben,means-forreciprocating said. ieedmember in a substantially straight;path towards and away ,from the stack; the upper surface of saidieedmember being provided with a recess forreceiving" and advancing a. blankedgewise, away from the stack. transversely there oi assaidieed memberisreciprocated, the'convex surface of the bottomblank. being.- adaptedtoextend into said recess;.. and means on said feed, member for engagingatleast a; portion of theyperipheral, edge of the bottom-blank 6. .In adrawing press as claimedin claim 5; a;

combination in. which the marginal; of said recess near its upperportion: is is adapted to engage the surface'of the bottom blank. nearits. periphery.

Z. In a drawing press asclaimedin claimad, av

means for automatically feeding the. blanks in dividuallyto the. diesfrom -.a"- plurality of stacks of the blanks, said feedingmeans/comprising: a single feed member reciprocable in a: substantially.straight path and arrangedtdengagte the bottom; blanks of the stacks:and 'mo ve: them edgewise to predeternzlined.v advanced whichareinqalignment. therespectiva dies,

11. In; a drawing pressgmea-ns for automati cally feeding thinsubstantially fiat metal blanks individually and successively from astack of blanks to the field of operation of a drawing die comprising afeed member reciprocable in a substantially straight path; andpresenting a. shoulder adapted to engage the rear edge of the bottombian-k of the stack and carry it edgewise forwardly to an advancedpositionwhile the side edges 01 said latter blank remain free fromshoulder restrictions. preventing sideways movement of saidlatter blank;and a second feed member reciprocable towards and away fromthe field ofoperation of the die transversely of said path, and adapted to-engage aside edge of the blank resting on said first feed member in saidadvanced position, push said latter blank side'- ways' off said firstmember and advance it: to said field of operation;

1 2:. Ina drawing press, means for automatiaily feeding in recurrentcycles a plurality of substantially fiat th-in metal blanksmmultaneouslytothe fields of operation of acorresponding number of" drawing diesfrom the: bottom of corresponding number. of stacks, comprising a singlere'ciprocable feed member having" a plllrality of blank receiving meansspaced therealbng' for stripping the bottom blanks of the stackssimultaneously, and moving them'edgewise unison to advanced positionssaid feed member, and a: plurality" of reciprocabl'e secondary feedingmembers operable in unison to engage said blanks while in saidiadvancedpositions and move them simultaneously towards saidfield'sof"operations; I

- 13; I'n= a drawing press; the. combination comprising-means forsupporting? substantially flat a Humi ty. 101 rods; adapted .to' engagethe thin metal blanks ina, plurality of substantially parallel spacedstacks aligned a vertical plane;

plurality' of drawing dies, a'single' f ee'd member reciprocable acrossthe bottoms of all ofsaid stacksupport'ing' means and having means forstripping the bottom blanks of said stackspositions and advancing themsimultaneously to the fields of operation of said dies.

14. In a drawing press, means for automatically feeding thin metalslightly curved blanks individually and successively from a stack containing said blanks to a drawing die, comprising a feed member movableacross the bottom of the stack and having means for stripping the bottomblank from said stack and advancing it edgewise away from said stacktransversely thereof as said feed member is moved, said feed memberhaving a recess on its upper side adapted to seat the stripped blank,the marginal wall of said recess near its upper portion being inclinedto receive the downwardly facing convex surface of a stripped blank,said recess being of such size with respect to the blanks, whereby theupper portion of the edge of the stripped blank will project upwardlyabove said recess, even if the stripped blank has its convex surfacefacing downwardly.

15,; In a drawing press as set forth in claim 14, in which said feedmember moves the stripped blank in an advanced position, and a secondfeed member is provided movable to engage the up per projecting edge'ofthe blank in said advanced position and move the blank to the field ofoperation of the die.

FRANK H. MALONEY.

